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Update on Terra Constellation Exit Maneuvers

Data Update
Issued
Nov. 7, 2022
Resolved

The Terra flight operations team successfully conducted constellation exit maneuvers (CEMs) to lower the Terra satellite to an altitude of 694 km by performing retrograde maneuvers on Oct. 12 and 19, 2022.

Following the CEMs, the space and nadir view doors for Terra's Moderate Resolution Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument were opened on Oct. 21, and the formatter resumed nominal day/night mode operations from Oct. 22. All instrument temperatures had attained their nominal values by Oct. 23. Assessments carried out by the MODIS validation team now indicate nominal performance and no major cause for concerns, barring slight gain changes that have been noticed for some of the Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR) bands (mainly for Band 5), and a possible slight change in cross-talk behaviors for some of the photovoltaic (PV) long-wave infrared (LWIR) detectors. The gain changes in the SWIR bands should have been addressed by the updated L1B Look Up Tables (LUTs) that were used to resume production. MODIS Terra forward processing was successfully resumed from day 296 (Oct. 23) 22:35 UTC, using the updated L1B LUTs that were delivered by the MODIS Calibration team.

An update is expected from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) validation team in the near future.

Please contact the Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC) User Services team with any questions or concerns.

Details

Last Updated

June 2, 2025

Published

Nov. 7, 2022

Data Center/Project

Land Processes DAAC (LP DAAC)